This film starts in 2008 with the story of Donald Barlow, who lives in Nottingham, England. He decides to search for his father who, he has discovered, was a visiting Canadian serviceman during World War 2. Following his mother's death, Donald engages a search agency to find his father (Gordon Devereaux) and establish contact. But when the agency does find Devereaux, the elderly man vehemently denies his involvement with Donald's mother and categorically refuses to meet the man who claims to be his son. Donald's journalist daughter, Claire, refuses to give up and, using her married name, flies to Canada to meet and interview Devereaux. She takes her nine-year-old son (who is Devereaux's great-grandson) with her, and a unique and unexpected friendship develops between the crusty old man and the boy. Although Claire had not intended to reveal the connection between them, she now privately telephones her father and suggests he fly to Canada. Yet her secret plan is shattered when the boy t